There are 25 million registered voters in the Nordic-Baltic region, but only a handful of them understands why the ballot looks like it does. In general, very little is known about the development, usage and documentation of the actual instrument of voting - the ballot paper. 

”The Ballot” is an exhibition and meeting point to learn about and to discuss the development of democracy seen through this small but highly significant artifact. Why do the ballot papers look the way they do? How come the ballots are so different between similar countries? Can the ballot affect the preference of the voter? How do the ballots represent political trends and events over time?

This exhibition material encourages the study of the development of our democracies, and its content is designed in such a way that it is exciting for a wide audience - both students, professionals and every voter.

The first version of the exhibition premiered at International IDEAS headquarters in Stockholm in November 2020. The exhibition mainly consists of real-size ballot papers from recent and historic elections in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Lithuania and Sweden. There are also several ballots from other countries to show important and differences and similarities. There is also some voting equipment and both video and audio material that supports the exhibition. Lastly, there is also a set of playful instructions or methods for groups to interact with and deepen their understanding of the use of ballots.

From September 14 to October 10, the exhibition was on display in Cesis, from October 17 to November 13, the exhibition was on display in Riga, at the Latvian National Library, and from November 24 to December 23 will be on display in Daugavpils, at Daugavpils Regional and Art Museum.